Sea Glass (WAYHAUGHT)

Shae

Shae had left two messages for her to call. Alone in the restaurant, Nicole typed a short reply, hoping it would suffice until the morning. Shae must have been waiting up.

"It's late," Nicole said. "I didn't want to wake you."

"I'm staying in London for a while," Shae announced, her voice shaky. "I think we both need that, don't you."

Even though she knew this was coming, the words punched her in the stomach. "If you think it'll help."

"Help!"

"How long will you be-"

"How could you?"

Some form of olive branch was needed. She swallowed. "I'm...I'm sorry, okay."

"Don't. Just don't. I gave up everything for you. Everything."

"Us." Nicole's voice was now shaking.

"I let you have this dream. I gave up...and this is what you think of me."

"I swear, it's not what-"

"You had...your tongue was down her throat."

"It didn't mean any-"

"Don't you dare...don't you...don't you dare. It might not mean anything to you, it sure as hell meant something to me."

"I'm not saying that. Shae please, it's not what it looked like. I keep telling you, you've got the wrong-"

"Wrong! Wha...the...go fuck yourself."

Silence.

Nicole stared at her phone, the screensaver a photo of Shae beaming, giving two thumbs up outside the restaurant. Pointless reasoning with her until she calmed down. Nor was this the first time green eyes led Shae to see what wasn't there to be seen. A few days away from Mevagissey might be what they both needed, having worked through problems before, she was sure they could do it again. Although, something had shifted, something felt off this time. The pandemic hadn't helped.

Her mind recalled their first visit they had made to the village, their excitement on viewing the restaurant, all their plans for the place. Shae was right, running the restaurant was Nicole's dream. But, she had wanted this dream too, desperate to leave a demanding City job, for Nicole not to have to give her soul, and most of her waking hours, to building her reputation at The Connaught. Shae agreed Cornwall would offer more freedom, more time together, a chance to slow down and enjoy a more leisurely pace of life.

An idyllic arrangement, utterly perfect for their needs, far beyond what they wished for, until Covid turned the world on its head. Their reason for relocating became the number one cause of tension. There's a saying, be careful what you wish for. There's another saying, too much of a good thing. For Shae, that good thing happened to be Nicole, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

The forced lockdowns by the Government were stressful enough, given they had a business to run. What made the situation worse was Shae needing company, lots of company. And attention. Lots of attention, which she got, in bucket loads from Nicole. Except, not being able to escape to her usual exercise classes, not being able to spend a few days visiting her mother, not even being able to go for coffee with the friends she'd made in Mevagissey, that's what became a problem. It wasn't that Shae was looking for faults, it simply was being with Nicole all the time, which needed a different dynamic, the ability to overlook petty annoyances, and silly grievances, and situations which hardly should have mattered.

By the time the restaurant reopened, and bookings started to increase, Nicole was more than ready to get going again. Shae not so much. They both knew Rosita was a flirt, and a tease, and a little too tactile on occasions. Had Shae entered the kitchen a few moments before, she would have heard the pair laughing about one of the customers that evening. Had she entered a few moments after, she would not have caught Ros with her arms wrapped round Nicole's waist, plonking a passionate kiss full on Nicole's lips. Done in jest, entirely innocent, both swearing it meant nothing. Shae chose not to see it that way. She chose to believe Nicole was having an affair behind her back with one of their staff.